Traffic signal for motor vehicles



Jan. 18, 1927.

- 1,614,766 A. ADERER v TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 11.19 26 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 18, 1927. 4,766

A. ADERER TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed Feb. 11, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 18, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT-OFFICE- TRAFFIC SIGNAL FOR MQTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed February My invention is a trailic signal for motorvehicles of the combined swinging semaphore arm, having a moving stencilincor porated therewith to give different definite designations to thesignals.

An object of my invention is to use a swinging semaphore arm to givesignal indications by position and to incorporate therewith a stencilsignal which will give the various indications by letters whenilluminated by a light.

A further objectof my invention is to form the word signal of suchconstruction that the swinging of the semaphore arm automatically turnsthe words or letter signal so that the'proper word. is indicated inaccordance with the position of the sema hore.

A further object of my invention is to operate the swinging semaphorearm and the rotating stencil or illuminated signal by a single movementof an operating lever.

In my traffic signal I secure a suitable gear housing or the like in aconvenient place on an automobile; this housing has a signal orsemaphore arm preferably held normally vertically for a non-signalingposition. A shaft with an operating handle extends from the housing to aconvenient position for the driver and by a system of gearing thepartial rotation of the handle maypartially rotate the semaphore arminto different signaling positions, being held in such positions by asuitable spring actuated detent engaging sockets or the like.

A further feature of my invention is mounting a lamp on the end of thesemaphore arm in a lamp casing. having an illuminating slot and by avsystem of gearing rotating a stencil cylinder surrounding the lamp sothat as the signal arm is moved to the different positions indicatingthe right, left or stop signal, the stencils allow illuminationtherethrough, thus giving the signal in words in addition to position.

\Vhile I have used the word stencil as indicating the type of wordsignaling, it is to be understood that these need not have cut-outletters but may be formed on a transparent surface with block letters.

My invention will be more readily understood from the followingdescription and drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a rear elevation of my signal 11, 1926. Serial No. 87,565.

as installed, showing a broken section part of the gear housing.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section on the line 2-2 of ig. 1, in the directionof the arrows.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 33 of Fig. 1, in thedirection of the arrows.

Fig. 4 is a side view taken in the direction of the arrow 4 of Fig. 1,showing the lamp casin in broken section with the stencil eyL indershowing.

Fig. 5 is a diagram illustrating the signal attached to a vehicle in thenon-signaling position.

' Fig. 6 is a diagram indicating the conventional right turn. 7

Fig. 7 is a further diagram-indicating a left turn. i r

Fig. 8 is a diagram illustrating the stop signal.

F ig. 9 is a diagram indicating the manner of attaching mysignal to aclosed car.

The general construction of my signal is substantially as follows,having reference particularly to Figs. 5 to 9:

The signal has a gear housing 1 to which is attached a rigid arm 2, thisbeing of such construction that it may .be fastened to a suitable clamp3 adapted to be attached to the windshield of an automobile or to abracketon the outsideof a closed vehicle as indicated in Fig. 9. Aswinging semaphore arm 5 has a light signal 6 attached thereto, the armbeing operated by an operating shaft 7 having an operating'handle 8. Themovement of the handle 8 in a partial turn by means of a system ofgearing swings the semaphore arm and at the same time r0- tates astencil cylinder so that a light signal is indicated through the signalslot 9.

The detail construct-ion of my semaphore operating arrangement issubstantiall as follows being shown particularly in Figs. 1 to 4:

The gear housing 1 is formed of a boxlike structure having top, bottomand end walls 10, 11 and 12 and 13 preferably formed as an oval, theouter end 13 having an arcuate slot 14 therein. Front and back plates 15and 1.6 are attached to the housing, the back plate 16 being preferablypermanentl secured to the walls. The transverse sha t 17 is secured tothe plates having a screw thread 18 through the back plate and beingsecured to the front plate by a screw 19.

A bearing block 20 having a bearing 21 is secured to the back plate andto the rearavall 12 and forms a ournal for the ope tltlIlg shaft 7. Thisshaft carries a bevel pinion 22 on the end in the housing. this pinionmeshing with an inner gear 23 keyed on the cross-shaft 17 A hub 24 isrigidly connected to the gear 23 and carries the semaphore arm 5, thisarm being formed of an inner tube 25 and an outer sleeve 26, the innertube being rigidly secured to the hub 24 in any suitable manner. A fixedgear 27 is secured to the rear wall or to the stationary transverseshaft so as to be held from moving. The sleeve 26 carries a bevel gear28 in mesh with the gear 27 to rotate the sleeve as hereunder described.Preferably the plate 15 detachable to form an open side for the housingto allow inspection,assembly and oiling of the gears, the arm 2 beingprefe ably formed with integral with the rear plate 16.

The construction of the light signal 6 is substantially as follows,being illustrated particularly in Figs. 1, 2 and 4:

A cross bar 29 is secured to the inner tube 25 near its upper end andsupports a pair of rods 30. These rods have an inverted cup 31 forming alamp casing attached at their up per ends to the inner part of the'cup;thus havinga closed top 32 and preferably cylindrical side walls 33,these side walls having the opposite signal slots 9.

The stencil cylinder 34 is formedwith a base 35 with a flange 36thereon, said flange having a set screw 37 therethrough to allowadjustable clamping on the rotatable sleeve 26.. The stencil cylinder isprovided with stencil. cuttings indicating the different signals asright, left and stop, indicated by the numerals 38, 39 and 40' and alsohas an uncut section 41. Each side of the cylinder is 'formed the sameso that the above signal words may show to the front and to the rear ofthe vehicle and the uncut section cutting off the signal when desired.

The operating handle 8 is adjustable longitudinally on the operatingshaft 7, being keyed thereto by a set screw 42 and a stop mechanismcomprising a segment with notches 44 therein engaging a slidable block45 having a spring pressed detent 46 slidably mounted therein; thedetent engaging the notches and restraining the signal in any desiredposition.

A lamp socket 47 is secured to the upper end of the inner tube 25, thelamp being in-- sorted by sliding the stencil. cylinder downwardly onthe outer sleeve 26 by loosenin the screw 37 and by removing the screws48 on the upper ends of the rods 30. Thus removing the lamp casing 31.One side of the socket is grounded and an electric lead wire 49 extendsthrough the inner tube 25 and through the hub 24 having several looseturns 50 around the transverse shaft 17 and leads through an aperture 51in the casing to a source of power.

The manner of operation of my signal is substantially as follows:

It is presumed that the normal non-signaling position is as indicated inFig. 5, with the arm held vertically. Thus in pulling for ard ontheoperating handle 28 the shaft 7 is rotated, thereby rotating the gear22, which being in mesh with the gear 23 rigidly attached to the hub 24and hence to the inner tube of the semaphore arm, operates the arm,swinging same through a partial circle, the arm being stopped and heldin the. desired position by the notches 44 and the cooperating detent 46on the segment 43.

During this operation, on account of the gear 2? being stationary, thebevelgear 28 attached. to the outer sleeve 26 is rotated and hencerotating the sleeve and the stencil cylinder attached thereto. Theinitial action is to rotate the cylinder so that the enclosed sections41 which have been closing the signal slot 9. are moved out of registertherewith andthe word right brought into register with the signal slot.Thus when the semaphore arm is in the conventional position to give theright hand turn the stencil also indicates the word right.

A continuing movement of the operating handle 8 swings the semaphore toa horizontal position, thus. further rotating the stencil cylinder untilthe word left shows through the signal slot, thus giving theconventional left turn signal, both by position and by the word.

The stop signal is given by the extreme movement of the semaphore armcoupled with th further rotation of the stencil cylinder. 1

It will be thus seen that I have devised a simple form of swingingsemaphore type of signal which gives the position indication as well asa word signal.

It is obvious that the arrangement may be adapted for right and lefthand sides of a vehicle and also that instead of using a stencilcylinder with stencilled cuts to indicate the words, that a transparentcylinder could be used, the words and letters being opaque.

I haveindirated only one type of gearing or manner of swinging thesemaphore arm and rotating the stencil cylinder, however, these may beconsiderably changed to suit certain circumstances. Moreover, it is notnecessary tiat my gear casing or signal be attached to a part of thevehicle as the gear housing may be incorporated directly in thestructure of the vehicle and thereby form a neat and permanentarrangement.

From the above description it will be obvious that my invention may beconsiderably changed in general construction and in specific detailswithout departing from the spirit thereof as set forth in thedescription, drawings and claims.

Having described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A tratlic signal comprising in combination a gear housing having aslot, a transverse shaft therein, a semaphore arm rotatable on saidshaft, said arm having an inner tube and an outer sleeve, a lamp casingsupported by the inner tube, a lamp supported on said tube, a stencilmounted inside the lamp casing and supported on the sleeve, a fixed gearon the transverse shaft, a gear on the sleeve and means to rotate thesemaphore arm, the movement of the semaphore arm rotating the sleeve andhence the stencil.

2. A trafiic signal comprising in combination a gear housing, anoperating shaft journaled therein having a gear in the housing, atransverse shaft, a gear having a hub connected thereto journaled onsaid shaft, a semaphore arm having an inner tube and an outer sleeve,the tube being secured to the hub a lamp on the outer end of the tube,the said gears being in mesh, astencil mount-- ed on the sleeve andmeans operatedby the movement of the semaphore arm to rotate the sleeveand hence the stencil.

3. A traffic signal as claimed in claim 2, in which the means to rotatethe sleeve comprises'a gear on said sleeve and a gear fixed in thehousing.

t. A tralfic signal as claimed in claim 2, having in addition a lampcasing attached to the inner tube extending downwardly over the stencil,the lamp casing having signal slots therein and the stencil havingcutout stencilled words and uncut sections adapted to register with thesignal slot.

5. In a tratlic signal a semaphore arm having a rotatable sleevethereon, a lamp mounted on the end of the arm, a cross-bar attached tothe arm having a plurality of rods extending beyond the arm, acylindrical lamp casing attached to said rods, and extending downwardlyover the lamp, the casing having a plurality of lamp slots therein. astencil cylinder havingstencilled cutout words and uncut portionsattached to the sleeve and extending into the lamp casing, means toswing the semaphore arm and means to rotate the sleeve and hence thestencil.

6. In a traffic signal as claimed in claim 5, having'in addition meansadjustably supporting the stencil cylinder on the sleeve.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

ADOLPH ADERER.

